The disclosures herein relate generally to a twist-on spring connector for engaging stranded or solid wire together and more particularly to a multi-piece connector assembly in which a wire bundle has its junction ends first joined together and subsequently encapsulated into a moisture-resistant sealant.
In some situations, it is especially important to protect wire connections from moisture and other contamination. Sealants have been used to seal the wires and/or the twist-on spring connector, commonly referred to as a spring connector, so that the contaminants are restricted from contacting the electrical connection. Sealing compounds used may be either hardening or non-hardening materials. The purpose of the sealing compound is to create a waterproof or water-resistant encapsulation over the wire connector and the joined ends of the electrical wires.
One known application provides a wire connector with a sleeve rotatably mounted in the end thereof with the sleeve containing sealant to permit the user to insert the twisted junction ends of electrical leads into the wire connector by inserting the junction ends into the sealant located in the sleeve and the connector. The user then holds the wire and sleeve and rotates the connector to simultaneously form the junction ends of the electrical leads into a low resistance electrical connection protected by the sealant.
Another application provides a wire connector with an end cap to hold a sealant in the wire connector. The user inserts the twisted wires through the end cap into the sealant in the connector. While holding the wires, the user twists the wire connector to simultaneously form an electrical connection between the wires and to place a waterproof and spark inhibiting coating over the twisted electrical leads to produce a waterproof and fire retardant connection.
A problem associated with the above-mentioned connectors is that in some instances, the junction ends of the wires do not properly seat within the connector and must be removed and re-twisted. Also, the user often tugs on the wire bundle to test for proper wire seating which sometimes dislodges an improperly engaged wire from the connector. In either situation, if the wires are removed, they withdraw the sealant coating with them. This reduces the sealant remaining in the connector and creates voids and air pockets in the sealant material. As a result, when the wires are re-inserted, the air pockets and voids create possible areas for moisture and other contaminants to collect, thus defeating the intended purpose of the sealant compound.
Therefore, what is needed is a connector for joining wire ends together and sealing the connections from moisture and other contaminants, in which a wire bundle has its junction ends first joined together in a manner which can be checked and tested for proper connection and then can be subsequently encapsulated in a moisture resistant sealing compound.